Landslide in Kenya’s Rift Valley leaves 21 dead, dozens missing

At least 21 people were killed, and 30 remain missing after a landslide struck Kenya’s western Rift Valley on Saturday. The disaster hit the hilly Chesongoch area in Elgeyo Marakwet County, following relentless rainfall during the short rainy season that has caused widespread devastation.

More than 1,000 homes were destroyed as mudslides tore through villages, cutting off several roads and isolating communities. Government rescue teams worked through the downpour to search for survivors, while 30 people with severe injuries were airlifted to a hospital in Eldoret City.

Local resident Stephen Kittony told Citizen Television that he heard a deafening noise before rushing outside with his children, fleeing in separate directions as the landslide advanced.

Government plans relocation for affected families

Authorities confirmed that rescue operations are underway despite the harsh weather. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen stated that the government is identifying an alternative settlement area for those displaced.

Chesongoch’s steep terrain has a tragic history of similar disasters. Landslides in 2010 and 2012 claimed dozens of lives, and in 2020, severe flooding washed away a local shopping centre.

(With agency inputs)